Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: King of the Swamp
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On the continent of Saintopia 02, what is the most powerful creature?
The esteemed scholars of the Cult declare in unison:
The king of the swamp lands, 'Gel Arma'—known in human tongue as the Swamp King.
It boasts innate resistance to psychic powers, agile movements belying its massive bulk, sturdy chitin plating, high intelligence, and the ability to neutralize protective gear. It possesses every trait that makes it a nightmare for the Cult to deal with.
And it's not just its own abilities. The swamp where the Swamp King dwells is the most dangerous place on this continent. One must endure the toxic miasma that pierces even hazmat suits while battling this formidable beast.
Any sane visitor would never set foot in the swamp.
Fortunately, the Swamp King has an extremely strong territorial instinct. It pays little heed to events beyond its domain.
Or so it was.
Now, that common wisdom was being shattered by a mysterious intruder.
Deep within the swamp, the Swamp King stirred from its slumber at the sound of something unfamiliar.
Though it was a new noise, the peculiar cadence felt oddly familiar—like the cries of the tasty prey it had luckily devoured in its youth.
The creature raised its four lantern-like eyes above the water's surface to scan the surroundings.
"■■Give. Who ■ ■■■…."
Hearing the sound again, it was certain.
Delicious prey was wandering its territory.
Normally, it would ambush and devour intruders lurking in the swamp. But not this time.
With its high intelligence, the Swamp King remembered: those prey never traveled alone. They always moved in packs, and this time would be no different.
It had to reach them first and devour the lot before rivals could claim them.
Deciding it was time for a hunt after so long, the beast heaved its colossal body upright.
Its front claws clicked menacingly as it followed the prey's cries. Its ten long legs churned busily across the swamp floor at their master's command.
"Is anyone there!"
The voice came from not far off, clearer than before. All four eyes snapped toward the source.
"Please…. I don't want to live like this!"
The cries emanated from a cluster of rotten logs. It was an area the heavy Swamp King rarely visited due to the shallow water.
｢Kee-ee-ee｣
The beast hesitated. Was that prey worth the risk?
Moments later, its legs began to move. It recalled the flavor of that prey—soft flesh, rich nutrients, from the four-limbed ones.
Better yet, they clustered in dozens. A single feast could sustain it for a month of undisturbed sleep. No way could it pass that up.
Each step of its legs, over 10 meters long, splintered the rotten logs.
As it lumbered forward with its massive frame, an open expanse of swamp appeared ahead.
"Someone, kill me!"
There sat the source of the wails.
But its form differed greatly from what the Swamp King remembered.
Normally, the prey had a head atop a torso with four limbs. Yet this one lacked a torso, impaled instead on some dark purple log.
｢Kee?｣
No, not a log—it was mistaken.
Logs didn't move. Sharp teeth and stark white eyes gleamed atop what was half-buried in the mud.
And beside this log-like thing were familiar objects.
"Eek! It's here again! It's coming!"
They were Swamp King corpses. Three bodies with crushed heads and spilled guts piled nearby.
Only then did the Swamp King realize it had been lured by an unknown foe.
And the log-thing opened its maw.
"This·makes·the·fourth."
The Swamp King couldn't grasp the meaning, but it knew one thing.
That sound boded nothing good for it.
'The fourth one, huh.'
Contrary to its brutish appearance, the Swamp King is highly intelligent. By design, once it memorizes a prey's scent, movements, or cries, it never forgets.
So it must remember devouring the Cult that arrived on this planet. Surely it knows their flesh is exquisite.
I decided to exploit that intellect with an experiment—using the 'Human-Faced Beast' trait I'd acquired two days ago.
And it worked.
"You came! I did what you asked, so kill me now!"
The face on my back wailed desperately.
It resembled the last MCAE pilot I ate at the research base, save for its paler complexion.
The original Pale Mask's parasitic traits differ vastly from my Aimorph-adapted Human-Faced Beast. Mine can't emit hypnotic waves or shockwaves.
'But it has two key effects.'
One is copying habits and memories from higher intelligences like humans or Cults that I've devoured, as I'm doing now.
Even without triggering Predation Effect, their genetic essence is stored in me. I then use acquired genes to form the Human-Faced Beast.
Similar to mimicry organs, it only draws from the last consumed target—but with a key difference.
Mimicry recreates the target's pre-death state via pheromones. Human-Faced Beast copies memories embedded in their genes.
Think of it as a cloned human with just the head. That's why the face on my back acts so lifelike and chatty. Naturally, I control it fully and can silence it anytime.
'Mix it with parasitic swarms for solid espionage utility.'
The trait shines for intel gathering. Much memory degrades upon gene acquisition, but recent ones preserve well.
Thanks to it, I finished prepping the research base—my spaceship—for departure before returning to the continent. Once my cooldown ends, I can leave this planet anytime.
Beyond intel, Human-Faced Beast offers a combat effect.
'Sonic attacks that paralyze foes.'
Where Pale Mask's hypnotic waves seal techniques, mine is straightforward: sonic paralysis lasting seconds to minutes, max five.
Short? Hardly. Immobilizing a strong foe for minutes is huge. Like the psychic 'Bind,' but it ignores superhuman resistance.
'Won't work on the earless, though.'
No such foes here. Especially not this crab-like monster before me—the Swamp King—with its keen hearing.
｢Kee-ee?｣
Its four eyes darted in confusion. A small floater relative to itself, yet three kin corpses lay beside it.
'Debating flight or fight.'
Unlike it, I'm unconcerned. Like the previous three, it'll choose the same.
Confident it'd charge, I waited leisurely.
｢Kee-ee-ee｣
It chose a middle path: summon corpse maggots to attack first.
White eels burst from beneath its belly plating, splashing into the swamp.
'Clever.'
The prior three charged or fled outright. This one's sharper.
'Swamp King's corpse maggots ignore defenses.'
My subadult chitin is vastly tougher now, but useless against their digestive juices.
I countered by extending erosion tentacles from my swamp-exposed back. Each lash turned maggots to pulp.
｢Kee, kee-ee-ee｣
Noticing I held other attacks in reserve, it deemed itself safe. Far larger than my upper body, it rushed in.
Its front claws clacked threateningly, aiming to snip my head.
But things won't go its way.
'Close enough.'
Judging the distance right, I unleashed my true assault.
"No… kee-gee-ee."
Under my control, the Human-Faced Beast emitted a grotesque wail, jaws yawning wide. A vortex second maw emerged within.
Invisible sonic waves fired from the horrific orifice.
｢Kee?!｣
The Swamp King froze mid-charge, claws agape and unmoving. Paralyzed, I followed with a second strike.
My submerged lower body and tail thrashed. Hidden underground, it shattered the ground beneath the Swamp King and erupted upward.
｢Kee-ee-ee?｣
Weighing as much as a Pale Mask, the beast was lofted briefly by my tail. It barely stabilized with rear legs.
But its stance crumbled. My tail and lower body swiftly coiled around it.
Vast as it was, it paled against my 20-plus-meter frame—even without Hunting Visage.
Having wrapped its belly once, I used waist muscles to mount its back with my upper body. Erosion tentacles and combat arms seized all ten legs.
｢Kee-ee-ee!｣
Its leg chitin is incredibly tough. Even as subadult, breaking them is limited—only Hunting Visage reinforcement lets me smash them now.
But I don't need to break them. Just immobilize.
Confirming my grip, I tightened my tail on its belly plating.
｢Kee-ee-ee-ee｣
Its weakest physical defense is the belly. Sensing doom, it shrieked, battering my back and tail with claws.
'Useless.'
Previously, that would've wounded me gravely. As subadult, I nearly lost arms to claws even with Hunting Visage.
Now? As near-adult, negligible damage.
'Still stings a bit.'
But bearable. Ignoring resistance, I crushed down with my tail.
｢Kee, kee-ee-ee! Kee, kee-gik-kik｣
A walnut-shell-cracking rupture echoed from its belly. Panic-stricken, it screamed—never dreaming it'd be crushed by something larger.
Its frantic clawing couldn't halt encroaching death. Minutes later, its belly shattered, entrails spilling as it died.
A pitiful end for the swamp's king. Releasing my body, I confirmed its passing.
'Hope this one triggers it.'
Fourth Swamp King felled.
I came for nest fusion trait materials.
The others await in my forest nest.
I hunt solo because only No. 26 endures the swamp toxin. Adhaina Sky Mother resists poison too, but not enough for traversal.
No. 26 swims it fine, but it's ill-suited against Swamp Kings. Strong near adult Seed Demon level, yet can't breach its psychic resistance.
No companions viable, so solo it is.
'Please, this time.'
I'd secured corpses for the family. If Predation triggers here—with a needed trait—hunt's done.
Ripping open its belly, I buried my head inside.
'Tasty, but….'
King crab-like savor is enjoyable, but fourth identical meal? Even gourmet fare palls at repetition.
Forcing down half, the hoped-for window appeared.
'Claws, huh.'
Useful in combat, but not what I sought. Sighing inwardly, I applied it.
The trait reshaped my lowermost upper arms into large, sturdy claws—like the Swamp King's, but smaller.
These inherit its psychic resistance, stacking with my 'Psionic Reflection Glove.' Likely my most psi-resistant part now.
'Anti-psi claws.'
Smacking them together with a click, I savored the feel. Fourth trigger was progress, but half-success.
Unlike games, Swamp Kings don't respawn infinitely.
'How many left?'
Two at most. If no luck, pivot to other prey for fusion traits.
Don't need elite traits for nest fusion—transcendence stage 2 material.
Adjusting plans, I delved deeper, erosion tentacles dragging secured Swamp King corpses.
Precisely 14 hours later.
I finally obtained the nest fusion trait.
The 'Judicator of Damus 08'—one of the Cult's planetary purge weapons and mass-produced motherships.
Normally as silent as the void, its interior now buzzed with scurrying crew.
"We depart in two days—prepare everything!"
"How's the psychic engine tuning?"
"Tuned for operation in two days."
"Carrier pilots done with sims—don't skip maintenance!"
"Council fleet requests to join the purge!"
"Provisionally approve, summon captains to mothership HQ. I have words for them."
"Yes, sir!"
The captain surveyed the hectic command center with satisfaction.
Though focused, every crew member's face brimmed with vigor—a shared trait.
He'd always lamented talented subordinates wasting away in this backwater. Especially since these war heroes followed him willingly; guilt gnawed deeper.
'Tch. After Cygle 08 purge, time to head coreward.'
He'd fled council intrigues here, but not them. Rotting empire talents here betrayed the empire.
'Rumors say Providence Sect's High Priest is sharp. Pay him a visit?'
Pre-High Priest, Providence Sect was historically deep but irrelevant. Its hegemony ignored rising powers like Mega Corp and Star Union, gaining little traction.
Innovators, stressing exchange and enlightenment with sapients, dominated.
Then one Cult royal flipped it all. He vaulted Providence to council pinnacle. Easy to dismiss as political, but his military genius shone too.
Flawlessly repelling Outspacer invasion earned unanimous High Priest appointment.
The captain, no novice at commanding imperial motherships, knew the young priest's competence well.
'Though whispers of womanizing….'
Rumors of sexually abusing slave females? He dismissed them. Envy stalks success.
'…Still, check slaves before purge starts.'
Days prior, he'd researched Cygle 08. One continent housed primitive wolf-folk.
If rumors held, a she-wolf would curry favor nicely.
'They all die once purge begins anyway.'
Slavery might save them. Raze their civilization, yes—but better alive than dead.
'Tell the adjutant.'
Until support captains arrived, the captain pondered winning the High Priest's favor.